VILLAINESS [TWD]

➴25

Ellie's eyes flutter open and she blinks a few tkmes to get the tears out of her vision.

She rolls onto her side, coming face to face with a sleeping Maggie.

The group all spent the night in one house. They were sprawled throughout the floor in the living room and part of the kitchen.

Ellie liked it. It reminded her of the old days of sleepovers and movie nights.

She wasn't trying to fall asleep when she laid down.

The downside to all being together so tight was that she couldn't really fake being asleep like she'd done for the past few days.

She laid down between Maggie and Rosita and just.. drifted. She couldn't even recall her head touching the pillow.

Ellie sits up gently to not disturb Maggie and Rosita. She pushes the blanket off from around her and crawls on her hands and kness until she's out of the nook.

She could faintly hear someone in the kitchen so once she makes it to her feet, she tiptoes into the room.

Carol was there making breakfast. Ellie smiles.

"Morning," Carol greets in a hushed voice.

"Morning," Ellie returns, pulling out a stool at the island to sit down. "What are you making?"

"Fully stocked pantry.. I figured some pancakes made from scratch woupd be a nice surprise."

"Where'd you learn to cook?"

"I taught myself." Carol drops to a whisper. "Let's not talk about how many dishes I messed up or burned myself on."

Ellie huffs a laugh. "You're a good cook. Better than Daryl."

"Daryl knows how to skin something and put it on a fire."

"It got us through," Ellie defends at fhe very least.

"That it did," Carol agrees.

Carl is next to tiptoe into the kitchen, sighing when he sees Ellie. "I've been looking for you."

"Sleep," she answers simply.

"Same as Maggie, Rosita, Eugene, and Michonne," Carl laughs at the remainder of the group still asleep in the living room.

"I'm up now. What do you need?"

"We got an invite."

"To..?"

"Some woman named 'Jessie'. She has a son our age and he had a few friends."

Ellie's face scrunches in distaste. "I have friends."

"Well, doesn't hurt to have some more," Carol offers.

"I don't want more friends."

"C'mon, Ellie. If you don't go then I have to go by myself and I don't wanna go alone. I don't know these people."

Ellie looks at Carl with a sigh. Carl puckers his bottom lip and gives a pleading face.

"Gross." Ellie hops off the stool. "Fine, let's go. But, you owe me."

It doesn't take the pair long to reach Jessie Anderson's house. Rick had previously shown Carl whoch way to go so he was pretty familiar.

On the way, Ellie and Carl talked about how big Alexandria was. How many people there were. It made the trip even shorter.

Ellie rocks back and forth on her heels as Carl knocks on the door.

"Carl, hey!" Jessie greets. "You must be Ellie. I'm Jessie, it's so nice to meet you!"